Left for dead, this wagon has a new lease on life.
Just about every gearhead has dreamed of finding a dusty old classic car they lovingly bring back from the dead. It’s a great fantasy of bringing out the value of something someone else has essentially thrown away. Even the first Fast & Furious movie plays off this emotion. Tom Cotter of Barn Find Hunter gets to do a lot of amazing things, and in Episode 60 he restores a car he found back in Episode 34 rotting in a Texas junkyard.
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The car in question is a four-door 1962 Ford Country Sedan. It was sitting on a lot with plenty of other promising classics, mostly Fords, which had been used as parts donors. Something drew Tom to that particular Ford, which he quickly realized had good bones and excellent paint under a thick patina.
To give viewers a taste of what it’s like to find an old car that’s been neglected and bring it all the way back to its former glory, Hagerty and Tom decided to buy the Country Sedan and give it a full restoration. Fortunately, most of the parts needed were already in the yard, thanks to the Ford collection that had accumulated.
Viewers should be impressed by the results. While Tom had plenty of help, which accelerated the project greatly, it shows what patience, skill, and determination can do when you have an old classic which looks like junk but has potential.
Among the incredible details is the fact they didn’t have to repaint the Ford at all. It shines almost to perfection now, demonstrating that a quality paint job can live on for quite some time. The wagon was engine-less before, but now it’s powered by a 390ci V8 with about 325 horsepower on tap.
If you’re starting a project or are in the middle of one and you’re feeling frustrated, this episode of Barn Find Hunter is quite inspirational. Just remember you’re helping to preserve automotive history and saving a cool car from being crushed.
